Gov. Green issues emergency proclamation in response to Hawai’i Life Flight accident

Governor Josh Green, M.D. issued an emergency proclamation this morning in response to the Hawaiʻi Life Flight air medical aircraft that went missing Thursday night off the coast of Maui while enroute to pick up at patient on Hawaiʻi Island.

Gov. Green joined Director of Health Elizabeth “Libby” A. Char, M.D. in issuing a joint statement, saying Hawai‘i’s medical airlift capacity must be supplemented.

He explained that the emergency proclamation gives the state the ability to supplement Hawai‘i’s medical airlift capacity with aircraft and flight crews from other states and permits out-of-state actively licensed and certified emergency medical personnel to be employed as certified flight paramedics and registered nurses on medical transport aircrafts.

“Gov. Green and his administration are coordinating efforts between Hawai‘i Life Flight, the State Department of Health, the Army National Guard, all county Mayors, the Coast Guard, and medical facilities and personnel throughout the state and on the mainland, to ensure continuity and uninterrupted emergency transport services between the islands,” according to the statement.

The primary focus is to augment services to the neighbor islands and deploy extra capacity for critical care needs. 

Maui Mayor Michael Victorino also issued a statement saying he is working with Gov. Green to ensure continued emergency medical air service for the County of Maui during Global Medical Response’s temporary halt of service. Options include mobilizing the Hawaiʻi Air National Guard.”

Mayor Victorino said US Coast Guard personnel and Federal Aviation Administration officials continue their search for a medical transport flight that went missing last night while en-route from Maui’s Kahului Airport to the Waimea-Kohala Airport on Hawaiʻi Island.

County officials say the fixed-wing Beechcraft King Air 90 twin-engine propeller plane disappeared from radar around 9:30 p.m. The craft is reported to have gone down in waters south of Hāna, Maui with three crew members on board. Global Medical Response, the company that operates Hawaii Life Flight, has halted its medical flight service at this time.

“On behalf of the people of Maui County, I extend my deepest concern and empathy for the loved ones of the three crew members as the search continues,” said Mayor Victorino.